The Common Dog Training and Walking

12/15/2024

Grateful for this amazing group of women!

🎅 Third Annual Cowichan Valley Dog Walkers Christmas Party 🤶

I absolutely love the ladies in this group. We have a job that is so rewarding and tons of fun, but we wander into the unknown everyday. Communication from this group makes life so much easier. From "fresh deer carcass dumped on so and so trail" to " dirt bikers headed your way" and if your really lucky you get car tips by Natalie who recently told me to "hit my starter with a hammer" when it was making that dreaded grinding sound 😆 Love these ladies !! 🐾❤️

Rhiannon Tails on Trails
Emma Hot Dogs Dog Walking Services
Jess & Natalie Instinct K9 Services
Kelsey & Preslie Walk N Roll Adventures & Obedience
Brook & Bella The Common Dog Training and Walking
Tess

12/09/2024

Clear boundaries and expectations aren’t just for you—they’re what your dog needs to thrive too.

When you set the right tone, life becomes more enjoyable for everyone. Let’s work together to create that calm, fulfilling bond you’ve always wanted.

If you are looking to tackle challenging behaviours with the support of an experienced trainer in the new year, get in touch now through or website!

www.thecommondog.ca

12/02/2024

That's a wrap on our Urban Skills and Obedience Group Class run by Emily!

We've just completed the last class of the year, as now the weather is consistently wet, cold and dark! We had excellent reviews and feedback on this class, Emily did a fantastic job.

We are looking forward to next year and the new offerings we have coming up!

Stay tuned and until then, keep practicing! 🐾

11/26/2024

The Common Dog is looking for a dog walker to join our team! 🐾

This is a part-time position, Monday through Friday, and will mainly focus on the areas of Shawnigan, Cobble Hill, and some parts of Duncan. Packs of 3 or 4 dogs per walk.

This is not your average dog walking job. We prioritize each dogs' training, behaviour, mindset, and calm socialization with the pack. We work with all kinds of personalities and behaviours, calm and happy, as well as anxious, nervous, and fearful. There is also the opportunity to grow with the company and offer additional services as off leash walks and house/pet sitting.

What we're looking for:

• Motivated, reliable, and fridenly

• Able to work alone

• Patient, calm and confident personality.

• Experience working with dogs

• Own reliable vehicle to transport dogs in.

Please send your resume to [email protected] .

🐾🐾

11/25/2024

🐾 Heads up!

We wanted to let you know that The Common Dog team will be taking a little break to slow down and enjoy the holidays with our loved ones.

🐾 Our walking and training services will be paused from Monday, December 23rd, to Friday January 3rd. We’ll resume walks and our regular schedule on Monday, January 6th.

11/08/2024

PSA: If you are struggling with any challenging behaviours with your dog and you frequent dog parks - I highly recommend exploring other ways to get out with your dog 🐾

Here are some options:

- Hiking Trails and Nature Walks – Explore local hiking trails or nature paths where dogs are welcome. The change of scenery and new smells are exciting for your dog, and the natural terrain offers a great workout! If you find one of the draws to dog parks is time with your friends - invite them to join you on the trails instead!

- Structured On-Leash Pack Walks – We have recently had a few spots open up, get in touch through our website to see if it’s a good fit for you and your dog.

- Interactive Backyard Games – Try games like fetch, hide and seek, or agility exercises in your backyard.

10/16/2024

Join us Saturday October 26th for our next Community Walk at Transfer Beach in Ladysmith! Fine tune skills, expose your dog to a new situation with clear boundaries and guidelines, and ask questions!

🐾 These events were free of charge in the past - we will now be charging $30 per person/dog who attends the community walk. The fees will support keeping these walks going & go towards our lovely staff 💛

Please keep these rules in mind for a pleasant and safe experience for everyone:

🐾 All dogs must be on leash

🐾 Absolutely no leash greetings. This includes sniffs, playing and interacting in general.

🐾 During the exercises and the walk, please keep your dogs under control, on a short leash and in heel position.

🐾 Please keep a 4-6ft distance between you and any other dog & handler.

🐾 Please remember, most of the dogs attending are nervous, reactive or uncomfortable around dogs. Please give them space at all times.

Sign-Up through our website: https://www.thecommondog.ca/groupclasses Drop in is welcome, but pre-registering is appreciated 🙏

10/12/2024

Don’t miss the last group session of the year!

Our next Urban Skills & Obedience group class kicks of next Saturday October 19th! This will be our last set of 4 sessions of the year, being held at 4pm on the following Saturdays: Ocotber 19th, 26th, November 2nd, 16th.

🐶 In this group class setting, you’ll have the chance to:
✔️ Enhance your dog’s obedience skills.
✔️ Fine-tune obedience amidst urban distractions.
✔️ Participate in group exercises to encourage socialization and obedience.
✔️ Engage in confidence-building activities for a well-rounded pup.
✔️ Enjoy interactive games to make learning enjoyable.
✔️ Tackle urban agility challenges to navigate environments with ease.
🐕‍🦺 Join us for this unique group training experience tailored for urban living!

Some amazing progress was made in our previous sessions & we can’t wait to see how the next group does!

🔗 Visit https://www.thecommondog.ca/groupclasses

10/07/2024

Exciting news! We now have spaces available on our Structured Walks with Emily in our South Service Zone. 🐕🐕

The areas of availability are from North Cowichan, Maple Bay, and into the Duncan area.

Our Structured On Leash Pack Walks are not your average dog walk. We take pride in the behaviour of our dogs. We focus on their training and behaviour, we practice skills like leash manners, general obedience, calm behaviour as a pack, polite socialization and neutral, calm behaviour when passing other trail users, like bikes, people and other dogs.

If you're interested in more information or signing your dog up for our walks. Please contact us directly at [email protected] or visit our website and fill out a contact form.

We are looking forward to working with you and your dog! 🐾

09/29/2024

Team Common Dog, myself (Brooke), Bella, Emily, and Jenna met for our monthly staff meeting while enjoying Brunch at

It's always a wonderful time meeting and brainstorming with these lovely and talented ladies. I'm excited to be slowly becoming more involved and working on some new ideas!

09/27/2024

🐾 Because they are so cute and playful, sometimes we forget that puppies, just like babies, need a lot of sleep - they are learning and growing so much each day!

I recommend trying to create a consistent schedule with your pup which includes, potty breaks, multiple naps, hand feeding and training, play time and exposure outings. 🐶

If you find your puppy has a hard time settling, it could mean that they are over stimulated and over tired. Try adding more down time and sleep time rather than more activity and see how it goes.

09/18/2024

Big, small, timid, needing extra support - we have all types of pups in our walks! 🩶🤍🤎🖤

Our Structured Walks prioritize a calm mindset, manners, and obedience for every dog. Your pup will join us as we explore the awesome trails of the Cowichan Valley.

Along the way, our pack fine-tunes leash etiquette, masters walking in a heel, and exhibits polite behavior around others. We also cover basic obedience training - covering sit stays, off-leash heel, and more.

🐾 If you dog isn’t ready to join our pack walks after a meet & greet, we’ll work on getting in some walk & train sessions to bring them up to speed.

Head to our website (link in bio if needed) www.thecommondog.ca

09/10/2024

Join us this weekend on Saturday at 10am in the beautiful fall weather!

🍂 We are so pleased to be offering our community walks again!

Although these events were free of charge in the past - we will now be charging $30 per person/dog who attends the community walk. The fees will support keeping these walks going & go towards our lovely staff 💛

Please keep these rules in mind for a pleasant and safe experience for everyone:

🐾 All dogs must be on leash

🐾 Absolutely no leash greetings. This includes sniffs, playing and interacting in general.

🐾 During the exercises and the walk, please keep your dogs under control, on a short leash and in heel position.

🐾 Please keep a 4-6ft distance between you and any other dog & handler.

🐾 Please remember, most of the dogs attending are nervous, reactive or uncomfortable around dogs. Please give them space at all times.

Sign-Up through our website: https://www.thecommondog.ca/groupclasses Drop in is welcome, but pre-registering is appreciated 🙏

Group Events and Classes! Join us on our Monthly Community Walk during the summer months.

09/02/2024

🐾 Friendly reminder: we are closed on Monday September 2nd & can’t wait to be back on the trails on Tuesday September 3rd!

Hope you get to soak in all the summer goodness this weekend 😎

08/28/2024

👶 🐶 There are so many factors to take into considerations here & it depends largely on your own dog, living space, boundaries and support system in place, but this is some general advice I can give you:

Maintain or create clear boundaries, as you are getting settled into your new dynamics, always supervise your dog with the baby, make sure your dog has a place like a crate, that is just for them to decompress. 💗

Everyone’s schedule will likely shift and that can be tricky, but with some patience and perseverance everyone usually settles in and you’ll find a new rhythm that works for your family.

balancedtraining

08/21/2024

🍂 Fall isn’t here quite yet, but we can tell people are planning for it! Lots of new inquiries for structured walks and training 🐾

If you are in interested, definitely reach out sooner than later ⏲️

✔️ Our structured dog walks emphasize leash manners, basic commands while going on great little adventures.

✔️ Our current training offerings are walk & train programs that get you and your dog on the same page for walks. We also offer day training to work on specific behaviours with your dog to help make your life together more enjoyable for both of you 🐶

Head to our bio or www.thecommondog.ca learn more and to get in touch!

08/09/2024

Re-Starting August 20th 🐾 Urban Skills and Obedience Group Class!

📅 This is a 4-week group class, the next set kicks off in less than two weeks! These will be Tuesday evening sessions from 6-7pm to beat the heat as we ease into fall 🍂

August 20th
August 27th
September 3rd
September 10th

🐶 In this group class setting, you’ll have the chance to:
✔️ Enhance your dog’s obedience skills.
✔️ Fine-tune obedience amidst urban distractions.
✔️ Participate in group exercises to encourage socialization and obedience.
✔️ Engage in confidence-building activities for a well-rounded pup.
✔️ Enjoy interactive games to make learning enjoyable.
✔️ Tackle urban agility challenges to navigate environments with ease.
🐕‍🦺 Join us for this unique group training experience, you will get so much value from it!

Some amazing progress was made in our previous sessions & we can’t wait to see how the next group does!

🔗 Visit https://www.thecommondog.ca/groupclasses for more information & to secure your spot!

07/31/2024

💛 Can we take a moment to appreciate the journey?

We’re all guilty of fixating on the end goal, but what about the tiny triumphs?

🐾Today, let’s give credit where it’s due! Take a sec to marvel at your furry friend’s progress since day one. Notice how they’ve aced that heel position during walks or how they’re acing commands even with distractions. Each of these things used to feel impossible at one point, right?

Cheers to those wins, big and small! 🐶

If you could use some support, reach out to us at www.thecommondog.ca to explore our walk-and-train and mobile training options!